


Emerald Flames

by FCTSyndrome



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abuse, F/M, M/M, Multi, Potter Twins, Slash, bashing, grey!Harry
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-24
Updated: 2017-06-20
Packaged: 2018-02-22 09:26:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2502848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FCTSyndrome/pseuds/FCTSyndrome
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry Potter is tired of being manipulated and used by those who he should be able to trust. When something finally causes him to go over the edge the wizarding world won't be the same. Prompt given by Sota115. Slash! (Harry Potter/TMR-LV). Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Molly Bashing. Grey!Harry. Potter Twins. Abuse. More that I can't think of at the moment. WIP</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Freak

**Emerald Flames**

**Authors Note:** This story was caused because of a prompt given to me by a friend and me being me, I couldn't help myself and just had to write it! I'm not sure how long this will be but it will include certain things such as those listed below. To those of you who read Little Dragon the next chapter is in the works as we speak! :)

 **Warning:** Slash! (Harry Potter/TMR-LV). Dumbledore, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Molly Bashing. Grey!Harry. Potter Twins. Abuse. More that I can't think of at the moment.

 **Disclaimer:** I tried to steal the rights to Harry Potter with my ninja skills but it didn't work. JK Rowling waved her wand and I was expelled from her manor after being interrogated on how I got passed the wards. That secret is still mine and mine alone! Muahahaha.

* * *

**Chapter 1: Freak**

Freak sat huddled on top of thin mattress that was his bed. It was pitch black inside the cupboard under the stairs but Freak was used to that, after all, this was where he slept.

With a sigh Freak closed his eyes to the darkness and let his head fall back lightly against the wall behind him as he listened to the laughter of those outside of the cupboard.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were having a party to celebrate his cousin Dudley's birthday and Freak wasn't allowed out of his cupboard but that was fine with him. Freak was tired, he had spent the whole day preparing the house for the guests that Freak would never get to see. He had cleaned the house so that it was spotless and then he had weeded and watered the flowerbeds, he had even gotten some bread to eat! After all of that work however Freaks muscles were aching and his eyes felt so very heavy.

Freak just wanted to sleep but the guests were being so very noisy...

With a strange tingle that ran through his body Freak's cupboard fell blissfully silent and Freak's eyes popped open in terror as he waited for Uncle Vernon to come punish him for being such a Freak. When nothing happened after several minutes Freak slowly relaxed and let out a breath of relief, his uncle didn't know what he had done and hopefully he would never know...

"Who are you!?" A scared sounding voice asked from beside him and Freak turned to look at the other person with wide eyes.

She was bigger than him but then again everyone else was Freak was small, she had long red hair and large hazel eyes that looked at him with the same fear that he felt.

"I'm Freak," Freak said softly as he looked down at his hands, after all, he was supposed to answer when he was spoken to and she had asked him a question.

"That's a funny name," The girl said as she looked at Freak with a confused expression before she smiled and stuck out her hand which Freak took hesitantly. Didn't she know that she wasn't supposed to touch him unless he was being punished? "I'm Primrose Lillian Potter Zabini, but call me Rose."

With a nod Harry carefully shook this strange girls hand and quickly retreated and huddled into a smaller ball, he didn't want to infect her with his Freakishness after all.

"So where is this place anyways?" Rose asked as she looked around and scrunched up her nose in distaste. "Why are we in a cupboard?"

"This is my room," Freak said with a blush as he looked down at his knees. His room was nothing like his cousin Dudley's but it was more than he deserved, after all, Freak was nothing but a burden and his relatives were good people for taking him in and not drowning him like his Aunt Marge always suggested.

"Your room!?" Rose growled, she sounded mad. Freak just knew it, she didn't like him anymore. She was finally seeing how Freakish he was and now she was going to leave this stranger that he somehow felt close to. "This is wrong! Wait, your name... They call you Freak!? Who are these people? You shouldn't be treated this way!"

Wait, she thought that he was being treated wrong? Did she think that he should be treated worse? His Aunt Marge sometimes locked him outside during her visits, is that what Rose thought he deserved? Did she feel disgusted at having touched him before?

"Are you okay?" Rose asked, her angry expression turning to the kind of look that Aunt Petunia gave Dudley when he was hurt. Why would she look at him like that?

"It's okay if you want to leave," Freak mumbled as he buried his head into his arms so that he didn't have to look at this confusing girls any longer. "I understand if you don't want to be around me any more, I don't want to infect you with my freakishness."

"I'm not going anywhere," Rose said with a determined expression on her face as she sat down on the mattress across from him. "Is your name really Freak?"

"Yes, well... I think so. That's all my uncle calls me, either that or Boy but he calls me Freak more."

"Well I'm not going to call you Freak _or_ Boy. I'll call you... Emerald," She said with a serious nod and a smile.

"Emerald?" Those pretty green jewels like the ones Aunt Petunia had in her earrings? They were so pretty, why would this girl call her something so pretty? He was just a freak.

"Yes, Emerald for your eyes, their so pretty and green just like mamas necklace." Rose said with a smile.

"So how did you get into my cupboard?" Freak asked as he looked at this strange girl across from him.

"I don't know, it must have been accidental magic-"

"Shh!" Freak cut her off desperately as he watched the door with a panicked expression. "You can't use the 'm' word! I'll get in trouble and Uncle Vernon will punish me!"

"The 'm' word? Magic?"

"Shh! Please? Uncle Vernon hates that word!" Freak begged her.

"Okay, okay, calm down! I won't use the 'm' word, I promise!" Rose said as she lifted her hands up like the people on the telly sometimes did.

"Thank you," Freak breathed out as he moved away from the doorway and curled up on the mattress again. Whatever he had done to make it quiet must have kept Uncle Vernon from hearing them for which Freak was grateful.

"So, are you my imaginary friend then?" Freak asked excitedly, if she was then Freak wouldn't be so alone! He would have someone to talk to, even if they weren't real, a friend that even Dudley couldn't scare away!

"I am _not_ imaginary!" Rose growled as she glared at him. "But if your asking _me_ then that means that your not imaginary either so we're both real and- what's wrong? You're awfully pale all of a sudden?" Rose asked worriedly.

If Rose was real and she was here then Uncle Vernon could hurt her too. That was bad! She had to leave.

"You have to leave."

"Why because I'm not imaginary?"

"No, I don't want you to get hurt too," Freak said with tears brimming in his eyes, the thought of Rose getting hurt was almost unbearable for him.

"Get hurt? What do you mean? Why would I get hurt?" Rose asked confused.

"Uncle Vernon, he would think that you're here because of the 'm' word and he'll hurt you like he hurts me!"

"They hurt you?" Something flashed in Rose's eyes that reminded Freak far too much of Uncle Vernon when he was ready to punish Freak and he found himself shivering in fear.

"Only when I deserve it," Freak mumbled looking down at his bare feet.

"Explain," She growled and Freak flinched back before answering her. Why Freak was telling her he didn't know, nothing came out of him asking for help, everyone just seemed to forget or disappear.

"When I don't get my chores done, when I do freaky stuff, when I do better than Dudley, when I mess something up, when something freaky or weird happens to my relatives, when I ask for more than I deserve..." Freak trailed off as he ran out of things to say and Rose's gaze continued to burn into his skin.

"Come on," Rose said with a sigh as she pulled Freak over to the mattress and pulled him down next to her so that they shared his pillow. "It's late and we should get some sleep."

"What if you're gone when I wake up?" Freak asked suddenly afraid of this strange girl disappearing while he slept.

"I figure I got here some how, I'm bound to come back," Rose said simply as she smiled at him.

"Promise?" Freak asked as he looked directly into her warm brown eyes.

"Promise."

* * *

It had been several days since Freak last saw Rose. Usually she would show up whenever he was locked in his cupboard alone but that hadn't happened for the last week.

Uncle Vernon had some very important clients coming over for a business dinner and wanted the house to be absolutely perfect for their arrival so for the last week Freak had been put to work with cleaning the house from top to bottom including, oddly enough, the small crawlspace that they called an attic. When Freak was not inside cleaning he would instead be re-weeding the garden and combing through the lawn to find any stray stones that had avoided the weekly mowing.

By the time Freak was allowed to return to his cupboard to sleep Freak could barely keep his eyes open long enough to crawl onto his thin mattress and pull his threadbare blanket over himself.

The only good thing to come from this week was that since Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon didn't want him passing out while he worked Freak was given food every single day, sometimes twice!

While Freak worked on finding imaginary weeds in his aunts flower bed's Freaks thoughts drifted to Rose.

After her first visit Rose had told her family everything that she knew and had been told that she had somehow managed to astral project herself so that she showed up with him. Her family seemed to think that they were twins but Freak wasn't convinced, they looked nothing alike. Besides that Rose's parents had been killed while Freaks had died in a car crash but he had agreed to not write the option off completely until he learned what his real name was.

Despite all of this however Rose's family was trying to help him but since they didn't really know who he was or where there was little that they could do. So instead Rose had been trying to teach him either how to read or how to get away but their plans had only resulted in Freak getting a lock placed on his door.

The reading lessons were slow paced since they could do nothing without Freak having something to read and when Rose would try to instead describe the letters to him Freak would get a headache and they would have to stop.

Finally when Freak was five and his relatives were forced to send him to school Freak learned his real name.

Harry James Potter.

Freak _was_ Rose's twin after all but that had only solved the mystery of why she was able to come to him. They still couldn't get any closer because while Freak now knew where he lived there were something called wards placed around him that kept Rose's family from coming anywhere near him.

Rose had started to encourage Freak to speak out, as well as use his real name but it was hard to suddenly be called something different by people he had only just met while still being called Freak at home. It was like he was two different people lately, Freak at home, Harry at school.

Even in his head Freak was having a difficult time acknowledging that he had a different name now, to him he was still Freak.

Following Rose's instructions though Freak had spoken to several of his teachers about his home life but before anything could be done something odd would happen and Freak would leave school and return home with a chunk of his memory gone and an odd fear of men with white hair and beards had begun to grow.

He was fine with most bearded men but when they were old Freak found that his heart rate would pick up and he would be filled with terror.

Eventually they had discovered that someone had been tampering with his memories and yet, try as he might, Freak could not break through the charms and remember what had been stolen from him...

* * *

"So tell me again what happened to this Mr. O'Neill?" Rose asked from her by now usual place leaning against the opposite wall of his small cupboard. As the years had passed things had improved and with Rose's help he no longer thought of himself as 'Freak'.

His name _was_ Harry after all and if his relatives wouldn't use then he would, Rose had forced him to understand that.

"Well you know how I told you about the random memory lapses?" At Rose's nod Harry continued, "Well Mr. O'Neill noticed that Dudley kept taking my lunch so he's been letting me eat in his classroom while he grades papers but he hasn't been there lately and today we were told that he basically disappeared without a trace."

"Just like the others?" Rose asked as her eyebrows furrowed together in concern.

"Just like the others. Someone must be watching me somehow and whoever it is they obviously don't like the fact that I'm being helped."

"Well once we figure out who it is they're going to be sorry," Rose said with a smirk and a dark glint in her usually warm brown eyes.

"How is it that you manage to be so evil and yet you're also sweet?" Harry asked in amazement from where he was curled up against the opposite wall. "It's slightly disconcerting you know."

"Well one of us has to be able to hurt a fly and you my dear brother are far too sweet," Rose said only to smirk as Harry blushed.

* * *

**Authors Note:** And that's the end of the first chapter! :D I feel so accomplished!

I hope you all enjoyed! ^-^


	2. Broken

**Emerald Flames**

**Authors Note:** Here is the next chapter, this time we get some of Rose's POV! Yay!

**Disclaimer:** I am indeed the owner of Harry Potter! ~Sirens in the distance~ Okay, no I'm not and I'm sorry. Doesn't stop me from hoping though! ^-^

* * *

**Chapter 2: Broken**

As the days wore on with still no word from Harry through their connection Rose grew steadily more terrified.

They had never gone so long without speaking before, the longest had been a week at a time and yet now it had been over a month.

It was summer, the days were long and the sun burned hot and yet still Rose felt cold with dread. Summers were the worst for Harry, the Dursleys usually took full advantage of the fact that since school was out and there was a lower chance of their abuse being found.

As the years passed Rose was witness to just how gruesome the Dursleys 'punishments' were, when they had first met they had been slaps and grabbing onto him so hard that Harry would carry the bruises on his pale skin for weeks. Eventually the slaps turned to punches and then to kicks.

The punishments were always worse after a bout of accidental magic though, at one point Rose had been sure that her brother would die from a loss of blood because he had somehow managed to apparate on top of the school to get away from his cousin and his friends.

Never before had Rose so wanted to inflict pain on another person than she had when she had first scene Harry curled into a ball and covered in injuries.

Rose had told her family everything that had happened since their first meeting when she was three.

She could remember telling them about the boy named Freak who lived in a cupboard under the stairs quite clearly. Not even her mother had believed what she told them but then she had called Uncle Sev hoping that he could help find out what was wrong and why Rose was having these hallucinations.

When Uncle Sev had heard what happened he had asked her if he could see the memory and had used legillimency, once he pulled out of her memories and confirmed her story they had started trying to find out who this strange boy was.

It was actually Uncle Sev who had been the most effected by the knowledge that Freak was actually Harry. He had known their parents while he went to school and Rose had sometimes heard him rant to her mom and her other aunts and uncles about how Harry Potter was going to wind up just like his father.

Seeing the real Harry as she had through the years had opened his eyes and forced him to abandon his prejudice's for which Rose was glad.

* * *

"If you're so worried about Harry why not go to him?" Blaise suggested in exasperation as Rose once again sighed in longing from her place beside him in the family library.

"You know that I can't," Rose practically growled out as she glared at her brother. "I've never gotten there without him somehow calling me remember, and I can't call him, it only gives him a headache."

"Have you tried willing yourself there then?"

"Of course I-, wait... Willing myself? What do you mean?"

"Send yourself to him, close your eyes and focus on your connection, picture yourself there," Blaise said as he closed his book and looked at her with exasperation.

"Alright... I'll try it. I hope it works," Rose said and Blaise stayed silent. They both knew how important it was for her to check on Harry, they were all worried though none more so than she was.

Closing her eyes Rose did as Blaise had suggested and focused on the bond she shared with Harry, imagining that with every breath she took it would get a little stronger until she felt ready to follow it.

Imagining that she was following a string through a shroud of darkness that was the space between them Rose continued on before she was forced to a stop when she met some form of resistance. She could feel Harry on the other side of the barrier and she was _not_ about to give up after finally making some progress!

With that thought in mind Rose placed both of her hands against the barrier and willed it to separate, to part just long enough for her to get through and, much to her relief, it worked.

With a triumphant smile Rose slipped between the cracks in the barrier only to fall to the ground as her legs gave out beneath her.

Looking up from her position on the floor Rose was happy to note that she had in fact managed to get to Harry's cupboard, as her eyes went to the spot which Harry would usually be waiting to greet her Rose's blood ran cold at the sight that met her eyes.

Harry was curled into a ball in the corner of the room with his head ducked down and his arms pulled inside of his shirt sleeves as though he were trying to be invisible just in case someone were to show up, namely her.

Rose moved forward cautiously as she always did when he was like this but before she could so much as lift a finger to help him Harry curled in on himself further with a whimper and Rose could feel anger flare up inside of her. Whatever the Dursleys had done it must have been bad to have caused this much of a reaction.

"Harry?" Rose whispered and, ignoring his flinch, she placed her hand onto his shoulder and was rewarded with his big green eyes peeking up at him through moist lashes. "Oh Harry, what happened?"

"Rose," Harry whimpered before he threw himself into her arms as he had done so many times before. She would never be able to forgive these people for what they had done to her younger brother, because of them they would never know just how similar they should have looked, even now when they were only ten years old Rose was already several inches taller than her brother who looked so much younger than he actually was.

"Harry what happened?" Rose begged after several minutes of just holding the smaller boy, "Please tell me what happened."

With a sniff Harry pulled back from her embrace and for the first time since she had entered the cupboard she was finally able to get a good look at him. Harry was covered in bruises littered his too pale skin, all of them in varying stages of healing, his lip was split and chapped as though he hadn't gotten enough water and he looked thinner than she had ever seen him before.

"On Dudley's birthday the woman who usually watches me, Mrs. Figg, broke her leg and couldn't take me. I had hoped that Uncle Vernon would just let me stay home and that I might be able to talk to you but they had to take me because Dudley's friend showed up before they could decide. It was going okay but then we went into the reptile house and I started talking to the snake there-."

"A snake? You actually spoke to it? Could understand it?" Rose asked in excitement and cut Harry off.

"Yes, why? Is that wrong?" Harry asked nervously as he always did when they spoke of magic.

"No, no not at all. Actually, it's wonderful but you shouldn't go around telling people about it. A lot of people look down at that branch of magic."

"Like they do your family?"

"Exactly, but enough about that, go on with the story," Rose pressed wanting to know just what had happened to her friend.

"Well... Dudley shoved me and I fell down and got mad. I must have done accidental magic because the next thing I knew the glass was gone. When we got home Uncle Vernon punished me and I've been in here ever since," Harry finished simply and Rose had to repress the urge to groan. Harry always did this, he would tell her the bare minimum and hope that she would just forget about it or let it go, well not this time!

"Have they been feeding you?"

"No," Harry said grudgingly as he bowed his head knowing that he had been caught.

"Have they given you any water?"

"Yes, a bottle a day."

"Have they let you out?" Rose asked her eyes flashing in anger.

"No."

"You've been in here since Dudley's birthday?"

"Yes?" Harry asked confused as he wondered just where she was going with this.

"When is Dudley's birthday?"

"A while ago," Harry said simply as he began to pick at a piece of lint that was stuck on the hem of his blanket.

"Harry," Rose said in a warning tone as anger bubbled up inside of her again. When Harry just mumbled she almost snapped, how could he possibly want to protect these people!? "Speak up."

"June 23rd."

"You've been in here for three weeks!?" Rose shrieked and was infinitely grateful that the others in this house couldn't hear her. "Why haven't you snuck into the kitchen for food?"

"The door's locked. I tried to call you before but it didn't work for some reason and every time I try I wind up getting really tired and pass out. The same thing happened when I tried to will the door to unlock."

"Have you had any more memory lapses?" Rose asked in concern as her brows knit themselves together. Someone else somehow knew about their bond and they were trying to block it, this wasn't good. Not at all.

"I don't really remember," Harry mumbled tiredly as he curled up beside her on the flimsy mattress, "I'm tired Rosie."

"It's okay Harry," Rose murmured with a soft smile as she carded her hands through his thick black hair in a soothing motion, "Get some sleep, I'm here."

"Will you be here when I wake up?" Harry sighed already half asleep.

"I don't know," Rose said with a frown as a feeling of self loathing welled up inside of her, what use was she if she couldn't even be here for him!?

"That's okay," Harry said as he opened his eyes half way and gave her a small smile that made her feel as though she had been punched in the gut. How could he have turned out so inexplicable _good_ while being raised by those monsters? "You're here now. That's all that counts."

* * *

"Those muggles hurt him again!" Rose growled the moment she saw her family. Blaise must have told them that she had gotten through, that was good. Sometimes she wondered what she would do without him.

"What happened this time?" Her mother asked as she guided her into a seat at the table where they had all been gathered.

"He did some accidental magic and his uncle almost killed him and if that wasn't enough he's been locked in that bloody cupboard for three weeks without food!" Rose ground out through her clenched teeth as she glared at the stupid bowl of fruit her mother had decided to use as a center piece for their dining room table.

"Rose, calm down and tell us the whole story," Severus said as he placed a calming hand on her shoulder.

"Just go ahead and look Uncle Sev," Rose sighed with a small, half amused smirk. "I won't explain it right and if I have to say it I'll just get angrier."

"Very well."

* * *

After that visit she hadn't been able to get through their link again, it seemed as though the barrier had been strengthened and more often than not Rose would find herself walking away from the attempts with a splitting headache like the ones she had had when Uncle Sev had first taught them occlumency.

Her family were trying every possible way that had that would allow them to help Harry but at each option they reached a block and could go no further.

This chain of events being as they were was why she was so shocked when she found herself suddenly appearing next to Harry in a strange room without any warning beforehand.

"Harry? Are you okay? Where are we?" Rose asked once her moment of shock was over and she was able to really look around the room.

Every time before Rose would appear inside the cupboard under the stairs but this wasn't it, not even close. While the room was bare of all luxuries it still contained the essentials, a bed, desk, wardrobe and best of all an actual window.

Why were they there?

"This is my room," Harry said with a soft smile and for the first time Rose noticed just how dim his eyes were, as though a film had been placed over them. What was going on?

"Your room? But the cupboard-."

"Once the Hogwarts letters started coming Uncle Vernon decided it was time for me to move into Dudley's second bedroom. That was nice of him wasn't it? Oh! I got to go to Diagon Alley, it's nice, Hagrid got me an owl! Look, her name is Hedwig, isn't she beautiful?" Harry chattered excitedly and yet there was something mechanic about it, as though he were just going through the emotions.

Looking over to the desk Rose saw the majestic looking snowy owl and couldn't help but smile sadly at her, it was too bad that she hadn't gotten to meet the real Harry yet. Something was wrong with him and Rose needed to get back so that they could figure it out but before then she would need more information...

"She's beautiful Harry," Rose said with a smile, "What else happened while you were there?"

"Well, we went to Gringotts and Hagrid picked something up for Dumbledore," That was odd, Rose thought with a frown as she filed the information away. Something odd was going on and anything could be important at this point. "Then Hagrid went to the Leaky Cauldron while I got my robes. There was this other person in there who was really mean," Harry grumbled and Rose noticed that his eyes seemed to mist over even more as he spoke. "He called Hagrid a savage and talked about smuggling in a broom."

"What did he look like?"

"Oh, he had grey eyes and really blond hair," Harry said simply, "Then I was done and Hagrid and I got my supplies before he put me onto a train. It was weird, Uncle Vernon was already waiting for me at the station. Since then nothing has happened really. Do you know a lot about the houses? I already know I don't want to be in Slytherin," Harry said with a grimace and Rose fought hard to keep her expression schooled into curiosity instead of the shock that begged to be shown. Ever since they had begun to talk about Hogwarts, Harry had wanted to be sorted into Slytherin so that he could be with her. Whatever was wrong with Harry was bad, extremely bad and they needed to figure out what to do soon.

"Why's that?" Rose asked feigning curiosity, she already knew why that was, it was the same thing that caused the glaze in his eyes.

"Because Slytherin's are evil," Harry said simply with a smile and all of Rose's fears were confirmed.

Harry was being controlled.

* * *

That night Rose's sleep was plagued with nightmares.

In her dreams Harry was standing inside of a gilded mirror, banging against the class and calling out for Rose's help but try as she might the glass couldn't break. Nothing that she did could even cause a crack and as time wore on the mirror grew, the glass thickened and Harry was slowly pushed further and further away...

* * *

**Authors Note:** Here we have another chapter done! Yay! :3 Up next, Year 1! It may take longer to get it written out and ready. For those of you interested, I have a Facebook page under this username where I post sneak peaks and the like. Check it out if you're bored!


	3. Year 1 Part 1

**Emerald Flames**

**Authors Note:** Hey guys, I'm sorry that it's taken so long to get this chapter up but unfortunately my life has been far too hectic lately. Between my dad passing away, moving and then getting sick I've kind of been drowning here. But now everything is evening out a bit and, even though I'm still sick, I've found it in me to write again.

Anyways, these next few chapters will mainly be from Rose and Draco's POV mainly because, for Harry, most of what's happening is the same as cannon. Don't worry though! Harry's POV will be back in full force come third or fourth year! I hope you all enjoy~! ^-^

 **Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. The idea for this story isn't even mine, it was a request by my dear Muse Master Sota115, who's birthday this chapter is celebrating even if it is late.

* * *

**Chapter 3: Year One Part One**

"I can't believe how small he is," Rose murmured sadly from where she stood leaning against her family and friends in support. Her heart and magic were screaming at her to go and be with her brother but she knew that she couldn't. He didn't know who she was, they had already checked.

She had been ecstatic to be able to meet her twin, the whole family had, but when she had approached him on the muggle side of the platform he had just looked confused and she could have sworn that her heart had broken.

Now here she was standing across the platform from her twin and watching as he struggled with his trunk that dwarfed him in size. Rose was relatively certain that if he were to curl up into a ball he could fit comfortably inside of his trunk with room to spare.

"That's it!" She growled when she was once again forced to watch as her tiny twin crushed his toes with his trunk.

"No, wait!" Blaise said quickly as he wrapped his arm around his sisters waist, "Look, they'll help him," He said nodding his head back in Harry's direction where the Weasley twins were helping to heave the heavy trunk into the compartment.

Heaving a sigh of relief Rose cast a quick look around the platform only for her gaze to be caught by a small group of red heads who were obviously related to the two twins that were helping her brother. Looking closely Rose could just make out the fact that the mother and what appeared to be the youngest son were watching her brother with an almost hungry look that instantly set her on edge.

"Hey Blaise, Draco," Rose murmured softly in order to gain their attention while never removing her gaze from the two.

"What is it Rose?" Blaise asked in concern for his sister as the two quickly closed in on either side of her.

"See those two over there?"

"What about them? I though that you were watching your brother and not the other families?" Draco drawled in a deceptively bored manner.

"I am," Rose hissed as she [continued](https://www.fanfiction.net/docs/edit.php?docid=41108042#) to glare at the pair of red heads, "Just look at them, see where they're looking and how? I don't like it," She growled out before tearing her gaze away and back to where her tiny twin was watching as the two red headed twins were making a show out of lifting his trunk and putting it up into the rack above the seats. A soft smile tugged at her lips as she saw Harry laugh at their antics. "We need to find out what they're planning and we need to stop it from happening."

* * *

"Why the hell can't I get in the compartment," Rose nearly screamed as once again she was diverted from her attempts to get near the doorway that would lead to her tiny twin.

"Maybe it's been warded?" Pansy suggested from her place beside Draco. She, Crabbe, Goyle and Theodore Nott had met up with the small group just as they were preparing to board the Express. "Come on Rose, at least we can get into this compartment. It's better than nothing and we can keep an eye out, just in case he comes out okay?"

"You're Right Pansy," Rose said with a sigh as she cast one last longing look towards the compartment door before allowing her brother to pull her into the new compartment.

As the ride continued at an almost agonizing pace Rose grew more and more impatient and, despite her friends best attempts, she found her gaze [continuously](https://www.fanfiction.net/docs/edit.php?docid=41108042#) drawn to the compartment opposite of her own.

It was agony to be so close to her twin and not be able to see him, doubly so due to the fact that he didn't know she was there...

Just as she was about to wallow in a well a self pity some movement at the compartment caught her eye and, sitting up straight with her nose pressed close to the window, she watched on as another short boy with blonde hair and a round face entered her twins compartment looking terribly sad over something and as though he were only moments away from crying.

Counting each second that the new boy had been in the compartment as though they were precious jewels that sparked a small ember of hope within her. If he could get in then so could someone else!

Whoever had warded the door would no doubt have been careful to avoid allowing her entrance, her brother as well most likely... But maybe not the others...

"Draco," Rose said suddenly as she turned around to face the now shocked blonde. "You should be able to get into the compartment. Whatever is happening they've already started to make Harry think of you as evil. Now, I may not like the idea but at least you can get close enough to him and make sure that he's okay. Please?" Rose pleaded almost desperately.

"Oh all right," Draco huffed as he stood from his seat and began to dust off his robes. "Crabbe, Goyle, you two come with me. I'd rather not have that red headed buffoon try anything and leave Harry defenseless."

* * *

"GRYFFINDOR!" The Sorting Hat finally announced much to Rose's dismay. Her brother didn't get in to the house that he had been dreaming of for years. It was obvious that the hat had tried but it seemed that the control was just too great for it to be able to get through to him.

Fine then! If Harry wouldn't come to the snakes with her then she would just go into the lion den! She was raised to be a Slytherin after all, pretending to be a Gryffindor would be easy enough.

Casting a quick glance in Blaise's direction Rose was relieved to see the subtle nod and the soft look of encouragement cross his face before they both focused back on the sorting taking place. Yes, her family would support her in this and she would gladly do it for her brother. She refused to have him being hurt further when she could finally do something about it!

* * *

"Rose!" Harry shouted relief clear in his voice as he launched himself at his sister. "Oh Rose it was horrible! The hat wanted to put me into Slytherin! It thinks that I'm evil! I'm not evil am I Rosie?" Harry asked innocently as he looked up at Rose with large watery emerald eyes.

"Oh Harry," Rose sighed as she gathered her brother up into her arms and held him close. The feel of her tiny brother within the nestle of her arms like a balm to her soul after a day of forced separation. "Of course your not evil. Slytherin's aren't all evil. Granted, some do bad things but there are people like that in all of the houses. Being a Slytherin doesn't mean that you're evil Emerald," Rose murmured into her twins messy raven locks.

She had been afraid that their link wouldn't work now that they were so close but she would be forever grateful that it was not the case. Any way that she could interact with her twin was a blessing at this point.

"But it tried to make me an evil snake," Harry sniffled weakly and Rose couldn't help but smile. Her brother was far too sweat for his own good. Rose would have to keep an eye out for anyone who thought themselves worthy of her brother and keep them away.

"Well it didn't now did it?" Rose said in what she hoped was an encouraging voice and was rewarded with a beaming grin. "So tell me about your day Harry, what happened?" She needed to find out what all had been changed for him. What did he see when he saw her? What did he make of Draco? What kind of world was her brother living in compared to her?

"Well... There's this odd red headed girl, she tried to talk to me. She was odd but... Safe. She confuses me. She kind of reminded me of you but... I felt like I should avoid her," Harry said haltingly, a look of confusion on his face as the misty veil began to coat his eyes as he spoke. So that's what had happened to stop him from recognizing her... "She got sorted into Gryffindor too, Ron wasn't happy. Oh! I made a friend! His name is Ron Weasley, he has three other brothers who come here now and two who have already graduated. His family has always been in Gryffindor and he said that if the hat had even _considered_ Slytherin for him that they would disown him! Would our parents disown me Rosie? The hat _really_ wanted to put me there," Harry said with a sniffle as his eyes filled with tears and all that Rose could think to do was to hold him close as he cried himself to sleep as she had so many times before.

* * *

"Stay behind miss Zabini," the dour voice of Severus Snape called out as the first year Gryffindor and Slytherin potions class fled from the dungeons.

"Yes professor," Rose said as she sat her books back onto the table and cast her gaze over to where Harry and Weasley were leaving through the door, the ginger complaining loudly about the homework that they had just received as her brothers usually beautiful eyes were clouded over and he nodded absently along with whatever the buffoon was saying.

How she hated this! Her brother deserved to be happy, not used!

When she found out who had done this to him she would take great pleasure in castrating the bastard though she had a fair idea on just who had done this, Albus bloody Dumbledore.

"Rose, what happened to make your brother so upset and afraid?" Severus Snape's voice spoke from beside where she had stood staring at the door which had long since closed after the last of her classmates.

Turning to look at her uncle Sev Rose was suddenly forced to hold back her tears as she explained her theory about how Harry seemed to be living in a different reality than they themselves were. She explained how Harry remembered his confrontations with Draco and even herself differently than they had actually occurred, how he felt when he saw her and that she could now visit him again. How truly worried she was over her brother.

Sometime during her explanations the tears that she had been holding back had finally brimmed over and by the end she was sobbing into Severus' chest as the head of Slytherin held her close.

"It will be alright Rose," Severus' deep voice soothed her as he gently rubbed her back gently, "During your next potions class I will delve into Harry's mind and see what all I can find out."

* * *

By the time that the first Gryffindor and Slytherin flying lesson came about Rose had made another good friend in a seemingly shy Gryffindor named Neville Longbottom who quickly integrated himself into the group of snakes and had helped them in their goal of getting close to Harry. Through his seemingly timid nature Neville had managed to effectively keep Ron from seeing him as a threat, much to the Slytherin's and Rose's relief. The group had grown close in the privacy of the library and empty classrooms that the castle contained.

On the morning of the first flying lesson Neville had received a package from his grandmother and, much to his amusement, it contained a small sphere of glass with a smoky interior that he laughingly claimed to be a Remembrall that his Gran had sent him to help improve his memory but was more of a joke between them both.

Neville was proudly showing said item to Rose at breakfast when Ronald Weasley appeared beside them as he plopped down into an empty seat and began to fill his plate with as much food as he could as Harry sat down on his other side and gave an absent minded smile before placing small amounts of food onto his own plate. Rose was saddened to see just how little his plate contained and mentally sent a curse at the Dursleys for starving her small brother.

"What's that Longbottom, finally found your brain? I'm surprised it takes up that much space, I had thought it was pea sized," Ron managed to say between bites of his food as he looked at the Remembrall in Neville's hand.

"Leave him alone Weasley," Rose growled out as she glared at the red head, oh how she wished she could just hex him.

* * *

"So tell me again what it is that Harry sees?" Neville asked quietly as they made their way down to their flying lessons.

"For some reason whoevers behind Harry being like this is making it so that Harry thinks anything bad that's done is being done by Draco and not Weasley or Granger, they've also got him thinking that Weasley doesn't like Granger for some reason. It's rather odd but that's how he remembers it. Even regular conversations are being twisted so that they fit some sort of script."

"I don't know what would cause that but I can ask Gran during break," Neville suggested as they finally took their places beside the other first year Gryffindor's.

"That would be great, thank you Neville," Rose said absentmindedly as her gaze drifted over to where her twin was currently standing beside Weasley and Granger. Why couldn't her brother remember her? Why did their connection open up again now that they were here? What the bloody hell was going on?

* * *

"None of you are to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave these brooms where they are or you'll be expelled faster than you can say 'Quidditch'. Come on, boy," Madame Hooch stated before taking Neville and leading him back inside of the castle leaving behind a somber class and a chuckling Weasley.

Ron had somehow gotten it into his mind that sending a rock Neville's way while Hooch's back was turned was a good idea and had instead made him lose control of his broomstick.

"Figures that the oaf would forget how to ride a broom, after all, he didn't have his little gift from Granny now did he?" Ron chuckled as he pulled Neville's Remembrall from his robe pocket and held it up so that everyone could see it shining in the light.

"Hand it here," Harry said as he stood in front of Ron with his hand held out, for a moment Rose could feel hope swell up inside of her before she caught sight of the mist that lurked inside of her brothers eyes.

"I don't think that I will," Ron said with a smirk as he grabbed his broom and took off before calling back, "I think I'll leave it somewhere special instead, say, a tree."

In a split second Harry had grabbed a broom himself and had taken off after Ron leaving those still on the ground in awe at the pure natural talent that Harry was showing.

As Ronald tossed the Remembrall away Rose could feel her heart beat rise and plummet as Harry flew after it at full speed towards the ground.

As he drew nearer to the ground Rose began to pray for her twins safety, unable to watch but unable to rip her eyes away from the sight before her she gnawed at her lower lip.

_Please be safe, please be safe, please be safe, please be safe, please be safe!_

He's safe!

With an uncharacteristic squeal Rose took off towards where her twin was only beginning to stand from where he had landed on the ground and, upon making it first, she drew him close, relishing in the feel of her brother safely in her arms...

* * *

 **Authors Note:** This chapter is a little short but I was excited to get it out anyways. The next chapter will cover the second half of the school year though!

Okay, the last bit didn't turn out quite as I would have liked but it's still good.

Also, thank you to everyone who offered their condolences and support. I greatly appreciate and am humbled by it all.


	4. Year 1 Part 2

**Emerald Flames**

**Author's Note:** Yay! I have finally gotten my muse back for this story! I suppose that losing my original draft for this chapter was a good thing, fear not though my dears, I still have my plot outline! ^-^

 **Disclaimer:** I own not the splendor that is Harry Potter, I do however own these skittles that I am eating as well as the irritation that I feel towards the tv for not keeping my nieces attention.

* * *

**Chapter 4: Year One Part Two**

From her spot beside Blaise, Rose brooded. She hadn't been thinking when she had rushed to Harry, too caught up in her joy and the relief of him being all right that she hadn't stopped to think how Harry would take the interaction because this wasn't _her_ Harry, this was some sort of sick shadow of her Harry.

At first, her brother had relaxed, had even begun to hug her back before Ron Weasley had come up to him. He had clapped her brother on the shoulder with such force that Rose could feel Harry jerk in her arms. Rose had pulled back just in time to see Harry looking at Ron in confusion, his arms still wrapped firmly around her, the haze had been gone from his eyes if only for a moment.

But then Ron had spoken.

With a simple, 'You alright there mate?' the haze was back in full force and Harry had pulled away, looking at her as though she was some sort of weird stalker and politely distancing himself from her. Ron Weasley looking at her superiorly the entire time.

Rose's heart broke. It was only Blaise's quick thinking as he pulled her away and towards the back of the crowd that kept her from bawling her eyes out and begging for her brother to come back to her.

Only one thing was for certain, whatever was wrong with her brother; Ronald Weasley was in on it.

* * *

Rose spent the next few days obsessed, every movement he made, every word that Ron Weasley spoke, Rose was aware of.

The glares toward anyone who was not himself, Hermione Granger, or occasionally Neville, that he would give should they even glance in Harry's direction, how he would physically manhandle Harry where he wanted to be with a 'guiding hand on his shoulder', how he would obsessively monitor anything that Harry himself chose from what food he ate to where he stood in the corridors waiting for the classrooms to admit them inside.

Every action caused her anger to rise and her magic to spiral inside of her like a typhoon.

It was not only Ron that she saw this with, however.

Hermione Granger, for all that her brother didn't seem to notice that she existed was in on whatever this was too.

She had seen the way that the witch would prevent him from studying or getting his work done. Sometimes she would simply stall his hand long enough for Ron to distract him, others she would verbally berate him for not doing what she was currently preventing him from doing.

Why did no one else seem to notice what was going on!? Surely she couldn't be the only one! Even Blaise and Draco didn't notice it unless she pointed it out first!

Things were extremely suspicious and Rose would not rest until she had figured this mess out.

* * *

Draco watched from his spot at the Slytherin table in the great hall as Rose watched her twin. In all honesty, Draco had been rather jealous of Harry when he was younger. Jealous of the attention that his friends gave to a boy who wasn't even there, jealous of how his parents were so concerned for this mystery boy, of how his uncle Sev no longer hated the boy. Draco had just been jealous...

Looking at the boy now though Draco felt ashamed of himself. He knew this boy's' story, probably better than the boy himself did at the moment. What right did Draco have for the little positive attention that this boy had received knowingly or otherwise? In comparison to Harry, Draco was a spoiled and obnoxious little brat.

Perhaps it was his shame that allowed him to play the role as the 'bad guy'?

Perhaps it was his role as the 'bad guy' that let Draco get so close?

When the rest of the school was in turmoil and rushing to leave the great hall for the sanctuary of their common rooms Draco's eyes were drawn to where Weasley and Granger seemed to be detaining Rose from leaving. Suspicion rising Draco began to search for Harry only to see him standing in a daze. Eyes narrowed Draco began to make his way towards where the smallest Potter stood.

Once he was close enough his arm was suddenly seized in the deceptively strong grasp of the little Potter, his misty gray eyes seemingly peering into Draco's soul.

"We have to go, come on!" His voice seemed like it was trying to convey urgency, but all that Draco could hear was blandness, as though Harry were reading aloud in Binn's class.

Stumbling along after the younger boy Draco cast his eyes back into the great hall where Rose was still being detained, looking at him with desperation and thankfulness as he was pulled along by her brother to who knows where.

"Where are we going?" Draco huffed out as they climbed the stairs at a rapid pace.

"Hermione is in the bathroom, Ron! She doesn't know about the troll!" Harry monotoned, his eyes practically white now.

"What? Harry, Granger is in the great hall!" Draco ground out as Harry pulled him down yet another corridor but there was no answer.

Harry's face was drawn and lifeless as he stared unseeing down the corridor, his hand finally releasing Draco's arm as he ducked behind a statue just as the foulest scent that Draco ever had the misfortune of smelling permeated the air.

Eyes going wide Draco quickly ducked behind the same statue just in time as the mountainous troll showed it's face.

Draco was frozen in fear as the monstrous creature made its way into a room halfway down the corridor. Wasn't the troll supposed to be in the dungeons!? Heart hammering against his ribcage Draco gently tugged Harry further back behind the statue, the family would kill him if he let something happen to Harry!

As if spurred on by the thought of his demise Harry leapt forward towards the doorway that the troll had disappeared inside of, his eyes now a pale milky white.

Heart hammering like a million bludgers Draco raced across the corridor and into the room as well only for his heart to stop as he saw that Harry had somehow made his way _on top_ of the troll!

What in Merlin's name should he do! Harry was going to be slaughtered!

"Ron! Use your wand!" Harry grunted out as he was torn off of the trolls shoulders and upside down. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

Wingardium Leviosa? What would floating feathers do now!?

Wait...

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Draco cast, wand pointing towards the troll's club, forcing it out of his meaty grasp and into the air above his head. Releasing the spell the club came crashing down along with Harry whose head met the floor with a resounding _crack_!

Rushing to Harry's side Draco could swear that he had aged at least five years in the past several minutes alone.

"Harry? Harry are you all right?" Draco asked as he shook Harry's shoulder gently, hoping for some form of a response.

With a deep and guttural groan, Harry sat up rubbing his head.

"Wh-what?" His voice was a mere whisper, he sounded so lost and afraid in that moment.

"Harry?" Draco asked again, his hand resting lightly on Harry's small shoulder. "Are you alright?"

It was then that Harry opened his eyes and Draco felt his breath catch. This wasn't Harry. this was _Harry_ , the boy in the cupboard who had become such a large part of their lives without knowing it.

"Harry! You're back!" Draco said with such relief that his very bones seemed to ease and become less tense. "Come on, we have to get you help before something else happens," Draco rushed out, pulling the smaller boy to his feet.

"I am afraid that will not be necessary Mister Malfoy," The genial voice of Albus Dumbledore rang through the room that they were in causing Draco's spine to stiffen. It was not his own reaction that caused him concern however, it was the way that Draco could feel Harry's pulse pounding beneath his fingertips, how his eyes had widened with fear and horror, the way that his small body trembled and prepared to flee.

Harry was positively horrified of Albus Dumbledore.

"I was just about to take Harry to the infirmary Professor, he's been injured you see." Draco said simply as he took up a protective stance before the boy.

"That will not be necessary Mister Malfoy," Dumbledore said simply, his gaze locked on Harry.

Draco began to turn to assist Harry to stand, contemplating what would be the best move to make was when Dumbledore spoke again.

"Harry my boy," Draco watched in horror as Harry's body shuddered, the previous mist creeping into his eyes once more. "Come along and we shall see to that wound."

"Yes Professor," Draco had never noticed before how lifeless Harry's voice had been this whole time...

* * *

**Author's Note:** Not as long as it could be but I really wanted to get this chapter out! ^-^ Surprises, strange happenings, and unlikely allies abound in the next chapter! Happy readings my lovelies!


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